The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre. The city hosts many of Italy’s culturally and artistically significant landmarks; It is also notable as the birthplace of painter Melozzo da Forlì, humanist historian Flavio Biondo, physicians Geronimo Mercuriali and Giovanni Battista Morgagni.The University Campus of Forlì (part of the University of Bologna) specialises in the teaching of Economics, Engineering, Political Sciences as well as the Advanced school of Modern Languages for Interpreters and Translators (SSLMIT).
Forlì is a prosperous agricultural and industrial centre, with manufacture primarily focused on silk, rayon, clothing, machinery, metals, and household appliances.
Forlì is the location of various buildings of architectural, artistic and historical significance, that include frescoes as part of their decorations. At the heart of the city sits the Piazza Aurelio Saffi, which includes a statue of Italian politician Aurelio Saffi – who was an important figure in the radical republican current within the Risorgimento movement, headed by Giuseppe Mazzini in the 19th century. The Piazza Saffi also includes the Abbey of San Mercuriale (named after Saint Mercurialis, a bishop of the city who died in the 5th century), which is the main religious building in the city; and contains the famed Sepulchre of Barbara Manfredi. Also of note is the Dominican Church of San Giacomo Apostolo; better known as the Church of San Domenico – a late medieval church built in the 13th century in the southern part of the town.
Other medieval buildings include the Rocca di Ravaldino, a fortress enlarged in the 14th century by the Ordelaffi and Gil de Albornoz, and later in the 15th century.
The city hosts the Palazzo Hercolani, with decorations dating from the 19th century; containing the artwork La Beata Vergine del Fuoco con i Santi Mercuriale, Pellegrino, Marcolino e Valeriano by Italian painter Pompeo Randi. The Palazzo del Podestà is a civic building which was frescoed by Adolfo de Carolis in the 20th century.
